Injection molded composite blank and guide

ABSTRACT

This specification discloses an article of manufacture. The article of manufacture has at least one structural blank and at least one guide. The structural blank has a plurality of oriented fiber plies in a thermoplastic matrix. The guide has a plurality of random dispersed fibers in a thermoplastic matrix. The guide is affixed to the structural blank by injection molding and over molding the guide onto the structural blank. The article of manufacture can take a number of forms for use in industries such as aircraft, automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, trains or watercraft.

PRIORITY AND CROSS REFERENCES

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No.61/615,040 filed on 23 Mar. 2012 and U.S. Provisional Application No.61/615,000 filed on 23 Mar. 2012, the teachings of both of which areincorporated in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Replacing metal and heavy parts with plastic parts is common. However,when the part takes on odd shapes or need structural strengthreplacement with plastic becomes more difficult. The use of fibers toreinforce the plastic is a common practice, with oriented fibers knownto be stronger than unoriented fibers.

Affixing a thermoplastic material to a support structure is also known.For example, WO 03/102387 describes an oil pan for an internalcombustion engine having a “shell of plastic material, and a supportstructure, having a plurality of perforations, that is fixedly attachedto the exterior surfaces and/or the interior surfaces of the plasticshell.” p.1, ¶1. However, the current methods to manufacture sucharticles are considered to provide for an article that is too heavy foruse in applications, such as aircraft interiors, requiring lightweightarticles that maintain high strength in areas that are prone to failureunder stress.

There exists therefore the need for a method of manufacturing an articlethat is lightweight, and that maintains high strength in areas that areprone to failure under stress.

SUMMARY

Disclosed herein is an article of manufacture comprising a structuralblank and at least one guide, wherein the structural blank has astructural blank length, a structural blank width and a structural blankheight wherein the structural blank height is less than or equal to thestructural blank width and the structural blank width is less than orequal to the structural blank length; and is comprised of a plurality oforiented fiber plies in a structural blank thermoplastic matrix where atleast one ply of the plurality of oriented fiber plies lies in astructural blank horizontal plane defined by the structural blank lengthand structural blank width, a structural blank top side corresponding toone side of the structural blank horizontal plane, a structural blankbottom side corresponding to the side opposite of the structural blanktop side of the structural blank horizontal plane, and at least onestructural blank guide hole passing from the structural blank top sidethrough the structural blank horizontal plane to the structural blankbottom side; the guide has a guide length, a guide width and a guideheight and is comprised of a plurality of randomly dispersed fibers in aguide thermoplastic matrix, wherein the guide is affixed to at least aportion of the structural blank top side with the guide thermoplasticmatrix surrounding the structural blank guide hole.

In one embodiment the guide is overmolded into the structural blankhole. In a further embodiment the guide is affixed to the structuralblank by melt bonding.

In one embodiment the structural blank thermoplastic matrix and theguide thermoplastic matrix may further comprise a thermoplastic selectedfrom the group consisting of polyphenylene sulphide, polyetherimide,polyetheretherketone, polyetherketoneketone, polyethylene terephthalate,polybutylene terephthalate, and polyethylene naphthalate and the guidethermoplastic matrix comprises a thermoplastic selected from the groupconsisting of polyphenylene sulphide, polyetherimide,polyetheretherketone, polyetherketoneketone, polyethylene terephthalate,polyester, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate,polyethersulfone and combinations thereof.

In one embodiment, the structural blank thermoplastic matrix and theguide thermoplastic matrix comprise the same thermoplastic.

In one embodiment the oriented fiber plies of the structural blank andthe randomly dispersed fibers of the guide comprise a type of fiberselected from the group consisting of carbon fiber, glass fiber,polyaramide fiber or combinations thereof.

In one embodiment at least one type of fiber of the oriented fibers ofthe structural blank and at least one type of fiber of the randomlydispersed fibers of the guide are the same type of fibers.

In one embodiment the amount of fibers in the structural blankthermoplastic matrix is between 5% and 60% by weight of the structuralblank.

In a further embodiment the amount of fibers in the guide thermoplasticmatrix is between 5% and 60% by weight of the guide.

In one embodiment the structural blank is formed by compression moldingthe plurality of oriented fiber plies comprised of the structural blankthermoplastic matrix and oriented fibers.

In one embodiment the at least one structural blank hole is selectedfrom the group of holes consisting of a circular hole or a non-circularhole. In a further embodiment the at least one structural blank hole iscountersunk into the structural blank horizontal plane in the structuralblank top side, the structural blank bottom side, or both the structuralblank top side and the structural blank bottom side.

In one embodiment the plurality of randomly dispersed fibers of theguide are molded to a guide shape having a guide shape top side whereinthe guide shape top side corresponds to one side of a guide horizontalplane corresponding to the guide length and the guide width, and a guideshape bottom side wherein the guide shape bottom side corresponds toside opposite the guide shape top side of the guide horizontal planecorresponding to the guide length and the guide width.

In one embodiment the guide passes from the structural blank top sidethrough the structural blank hole to at least the structural blankbottom side.

In one embodiment the guide has a guide hole passing from the guideshape top side through the guide shape to the guide shape bottom side inthe same plane as the at least one structural blank hole.

In one embodiment the at least one structural blank hole comprises aplurality of structural blank reinforcing holes. In a further embodimentthe guide thermoplastic matrix passes through the plurality ofstructural blank reinforcing holes.

In one embodiment the plurality of random fibers of the guide are moldedto a first guide shape affixed to the structural blank top side and asecond guide shape affixed to the structural blank bottom side. In afurther embodiment the first guide shape and the second guide shape arethe same shape.

In one embodiment the article is void of an adhesive layer between theguide and the structural blank. In a further embodiment the structuralblank is corona treated or flame treated before over molding.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an article of manufacture using the process describedherein.

FIG. 2 shows a structural blank used to manufacture an article using theprocess described herein.

FIG. 3 shows the structural blank having a structural blank hole.

FIG. 4 shows the structural blank countersunk around the structuralblank hole.

FIG. 5 shows the structural blank having a plurality of holes.

FIG. 6 shows an article of manufacture using the process describedherein.

FIG. 7 shows an article of manufacture using the process describedherein.

FIG. 8 shows a cut-away side view of an article of manufacture using theprocess described herein.

FIG. 9 shows a cut-away side view of an article of manufacture using theprocess described herein.

FIG. 10 shows a cut-away side view of an article of manufacture usingthe process described herein.

FIG. 11 shows a cut-away side view of an article of manufacture usingthe process described herein.

FIG. 12 shows an exemplary model of an article of manufacture using theprocess described herein.

FIG. 13 shows the exemplary model of FIG. 12 disassembled.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This specification discloses an article of manufacture (100) comprisinga structural blank (200) having a plurality of oriented fiber plies in athermoplastic matrix affixed to a guide (300, 320) having a plurality ofrandomly dispersed fibers in a thermoplastic matrix which may comprisechopped fibers. In one embodiment there is more than one guide (see forexample FIG. 1, 320A, 320B, 320C, 320D)

The structural blank will have a structural blank length dimension(110), a structural blank width dimension (111) and a structural blankheight dimension (112). The structural blank height dimension is alsoknown as the structural blank thickness. The structural blank heightdimension will be less than or equal to the structural blank widthdimension with the structural blank width dimension less than or equalto the structural blank length dimension. The structural blank will becomprised of plies of unidirectional oriented fibers. At least one plyof the plurality of oriented fiber plies in the structural blank willlie in a horizontal plane defined by the structural blank lengthdimension and the structural blank width dimension.

Although not necessary, the structural blank (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 (200))should have at least one hole (220) or perforation, but it is preferableto have a plurality of holes or perforations (240), at least some ofwhich serve to further affix and/or reinforce the guide (300) to thestructural blank. The at least one hole or perforation will pass throughthe horizontal plane of the structural blank from the top side of thestructural blank to the bottom side of the structural blank. Thestructural blank hole may be a circular hole or a non-circular hole,such as a slot, ellipsoid, or trapezoid shape. In one embodiment, aplurality of structural blank holes may be located along the perimeter(240) of the structural blank corresponding to the structural blanklength dimension and/or the structural blank width dimension and areused to reinforce the guide to the structural blank. In a furtherembodiment, the plurality of structural blank holes are structural blankguide holes through which the guide thermoplastic matrix passes, but arenot used to reinforce the guide to the structural blank. The structuralblank holes may also be used to create a guide ridge or rim (300).

In a preferred embodiment (FIG. 4) the structural blank hole or holesare countersunk (230) into the structural blank. The structural blankhole may be countersunk into the top side of the structural blank, thebottom side of the structural blank, or both the top side and the bottomside of the structural blank. The structural blank hole may becountersunk into the structural blank in a circular manner or anon-circular manner.

The structural blank will be made from a thermoplastic matrix materialor a thermoset. The term “thermoset” means plastic materials having athree dimensional crosslinked network resulting from the formation ofcovalent bonds between chemically reactive groups, e.g., active hydrogengroups and free isocyanate groups or oxirane groups. Thermosets may bethose known to the skilled artisan, e.g., crosslinked polyurethanes,crosslinked polyepoxides and crosslinked polyesters. Thermosets may befabricated from crosslinked polyurethanes by the art-recognized processof reaction injection molding. Reaction injection molding typicallyinvolves, as is known to the skilled artisan, injecting separately, andpreferably simultaneously, into a mold: (i) an active hydrogenfunctional component (e.g., a polyol and/or polyamine); and (ii) afunctional component that forms covalent bonds with the active hydrogenfunctional component, such as an isocyanate functional component (e.g.,a diisocyanate such as toluene diisocyanate, and/or dimmers and trimersof a diisocyanate such as toluene diisocyanate). The filled mold mayoptionally be heated to ensure and/or hasten complete reaction of theinjected components. Upon complete reaction of the injected components,the mold is opened and the molded article is removed.

The term “thermoplastic” means a plastic material or matrix that has asoftening or melting point, and is substantially free (having less than5% by weight of the plastic material as part of the thermoplasticmatrix) of a continuous phase of a three dimensional crosslinked networkresulting from the formation of covalent bonds between chemicallyreactive groups, e.g., active hydrogen groups and free isocyanategroups. The thermoplastic material may contain a dispersion of groundthermosets, but the matrix material itself will be substantially free ofthermosets.

Examples of thermoplastics from which the structural blank and the guidemay be fabricated include, but are not limited to, thermoplasticpolyphenylene sulfide, thermoplastic polyetheretherketone, thermoplasticpolyetherketoneketone, thermoplastic polyetherketoneketone,thermoplastic polyurethane, thermoplastic polyurea, thermoplasticpolyimide, thermoplastic polyamide, thermoplastic polyamideimide,thermoplastic polyester, thermoplastic polycarbonate, thermoplasticpolysulfone, thermoplastic polyketone, thermoplastic polypropylene,thermoplastic acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, thermoplasticpolyethersulfone and mixtures or thermoplastic compositions containingone or more thereof.

Of the thermoplastic materials from which the structural blank and theguide may be fabricated polyphenylene sulphide is preferred. The guidemay be fabricated from thermoplastic materials by the art-recognizedprocess of injection molding and over molding onto the structural blank,in which a molten stream of thermoplastic material, e.g., moltenthermoplastic polyphenylene sulphide, is injected into a mold, e.g., anoptionally heated mold. In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of guidesare continuously affixed to the structural blank from a single mold. Inone embodiment, the structural blank is made from a thermoset materialwhile the guide is made from a thermoplastic material.

The thermoplastic materials from which the structural blank may befabricated and the thermoplastic materials from which the guide may befabricated, are preferably reinforced with a material type selected fromthe group consisting of glass fibers, carbon fibers, metal fibers,polyaramide fibers, polyamide fibers and mixtures thereof. Thereinforcing fibers, and the glass fibers in particular, may have sizingson their surfaces to improve miscibility and/or adhesion to thethermoset or thermoplastic into which they are incorporated, as is knownto the skilled artisan. Carbon fibers are a preferred reinforcingmaterial in the present invention. If used, the reinforcement material,e.g., glass fibers, is typically present in the thermoset and/orthermoplastic of the structural blank in a reinforcing amount, e.g., inan amount of from 5 percent by weight to 60 percent by weight, based onthe total weight of the structural blank. If used, the reinforcementmaterial, e.g., glass fibers, is typically present in the thermoplasticof the guide in a reinforcing amount, e.g., in an amount of from 5percent by weight to 60 percent by weight, based on the total weight ofthe guide. In a preferred embodiment, the reinforcing material of thestructural blank and the reinforcing material of the guide are the samereinforcing material.

To obtain the strength required, the fibers in the structural blank arepreferably continuous fibers and oriented in different parallel planesof the structural blank. These planes are also called plies. One methodof manufacturing the thermoplastic structural blank is to take a seriesof individual plies which are thermoplastic materials having orientedfibers running their length and lay the plies one on top of the other.The oriented fibers can have a different orientation of one ply relativeto another ply. These various plies are often referred to as pre-pregsand are available on the open market, usually in rolls. Once the plieshave been laid one on top of the other, the plies are heat compressionmolded into a strong structural bond by applying heat and pressure tomelt and press the plies together. This pressing could be done to createa flat sheet from which the structural blank could be cut, or the pliescould be precut, laid into a mold and the pressure and heat applied. Acontinuous manufacturing operation of this type is described in DE4017978, the teachings of which are incorporated herein.

The oriented fiber in a ply may also be woven with fibers in the ply sothat many fibers are aligned in a first direction, the other fibers arealigned in a direction different from the first direction, but in thesame direction considered a second direction, passing over and under thefibers aligned in the first direction and are thus woven with the fibersaligned in the first direction.

The oriented fibers will form a plane within the thermoplastic matrix ofthe structural blank. If many plies of fibers are used, the plies willbe separate planes. The oriented fibers will have an orientationdirection. While the oriented fibers in one plane or ply may be rotatedor offset relative to the oriented fibers in another plane or ply, atany given point in the structural blank, the oriented fibers in one plywill not be oriented in a direction that traverses into another ply.Often times only a uni-directional orientation is needed. It is alsopossible that the thermoplastic matrix used to surround the orientedfibers may further comprise chopped or dispersed fibers as well.

The thermoplastic materials from which the guide may be fabricated areoften reinforced with a plurality of randomly dispersed fiber typesselected from the group consisting of glass fibers, carbon fiberes,metal fibers, polyamide fibers and mixtures thereof. The plurality ofrandomly dispersed fiber types may be the same type of fiber as those ofthe oriented fibers in the structural blank thermoplastic matrix. In onesuch embodiment, the randomly dispersed fibers originate as pre-pregsand are chopped or cut into smaller, randomly dispersed fibers prior tobeing introduced to the guide thermoplastic matrix.

If more bonding is needed, the structural blank can be corona treated orflame treated to modify the surface area to be more bondable with thethermoplastic of the guide. The best bond strength is expected when thethermoplastic matrix of the structural blank is the same thermoplasticmatrix as the guide. The increased strength of the assembly at therespective stress location will be in part a function of the number ofholes or perforations in the structural blank, the diameter or thicknessof the holes or perforations, countersinking the at least one structuralblank hole, and whether the material of the leg insert is corona treatedor flame treated. The strength increase will also be a function of theknown structural strength relationships of oriented fibers, the degreeof orientation, fiber choice and fiber density.

Because the preferred manufacturing technique is overmolding the guideinto the structural blank hole (FIGS. 6-11), the guide is preferablyaffixed to the structural blank by melt bonding. In a preferredembodiment, the guide will not be affixed to the structural blank byadhesion between the guide and the structural blank, or by an adhesivelayer between the guide and the structural blank. Therefore, the articleof manufacture is void of an adhesive layer between the guide and thestructural blank. If the guide is affixed to the structural blank by anadhesion layer between the guide and the structural blank, such adhesionlayer may comprise an adhesive material such as tape or glue, welding inthe form of resistance welding, corona treating, ultrasonic welding, orcombinations thereof.

In a preferred embodiment (FIG. 9), the guide is molded to a guide shapehaving a guide shape length, a guide shape width and a guide shapeheight. The guide shape will have a horizontal plane corresponding tothe guide shape width and the guide shape length. The guide shape willalso have a guide shape top side corresponding to one side of the guideshape horizontal plane and a guide shape bottom side corresponding tothe side of the guide shape horizontal plane opposite from the guideshape top side. The guide shape may be circular or non-circular.

In one embodiment, there are two guide shapes where the second guideshape (340) has a second guide shape length, a second guide shape widthand a second guide shape height. The second guide shape will have ahorizontal plane corresponding to the second guide shape width and thesecond guide shape length. The second guide shape will also have asecond guide shape bottom side corresponding to one side of the guideshape horizontal plane and a second guide shape top side correspondingto the side of the guide shape horizontal plane opposite from the guideshape bottom side. The second guide shape may be circular ornon-circular.

In a preferred embodiment, when overmolding the guide to the structuralblank, the thermoplastic material of the guide passes from thestructural blank top side through the structural blank hole to thestructural blank bottom side. In one embodiment, the overmolding of theguide to the structural blank occurs at the perimeter of the structuralblank corresponding to the structural blank length dimension and thestructural blank width dimension wherein the guide thermoplasticmaterial passes through the plurality of structural blank holes locatedalong the perimeter of the structural blank in order to form a raisededge along the perimeter of the structural blank.

In one embodiment, the guide contains a guide hole (360) passing fromthe guide shape top side through the guide shape to the guide shapebottom side. In a preferred embodiment, the guide hole passes throughthe guide shape in the same plane as the at least one structural blankhole (FIG. 10).

FIG. 12 shows an assembled part (500). FIG. 13 shows the assembled partof FIG. 12 in disassembled form with 200A, 200B and 200C being thestructural blank of the respective members, 300A, 300B and 300C beingthe respective raised perimeter edge guide and 320A and 320C being therespective guide containing a guide hole. 400A, 400B and 400C are rodsor tubes and 510 is a stabilizer member.

The article of manufacture described herein can take any number offorms. By way of example, but not limitation, the article of manufacturecan be used in aircrafts, automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, trains, orwatercraft. By way of example, but not limitation, in aircraftapplications the article of manufacture could be a seat center counsel,a seat center counsel frame, a tray table, a tray table support, a seatback frame, a seat leg, an overhead bin, an overhead bin frame, a drinkcart, a drink cart frame, a foot rest, or a foot rest support.

We claim: 1-21. (canceled)
 22. An article of manufacture comprising astructural blank and at least one guide, wherein the structural blankhas a structural blank length, a structural blank width, and astructural blank height wherein the structural blank height is less thanor equal to the structural blank width and the structural blank width isless than or equal to the structural blank length; and the structuralblank is comprised of a plurality of oriented fiber plies in astructural blank thermoplastic matrix where at least one ply of theplurality of oriented fiber plies lies in a structural blank horizontalplane defined by the structural blank length and structural blank width,a structural blank top side corresponding to one side of the structuralblank horizontal plane, a structural blank bottom side corresponding tothe side opposite of the structural blank top side of the structuralblank horizontal plane, at least one structural blank guide hole passingfrom the structural blank top side through the structural blankhorizontal plane to the structural blank bottom side, and a plurality ofstructural blank reinforcing holes; the guide has a guide length, aguide width and a guide height and the guide is comprised of a pluralityof randomly dispersed fibers in a guide thermoplastic matrix, whereinthe guide is affixed to at least a portion of the structural blank topside with the guide thermoplastic matrix surrounding the structuralblank guide hole and passing through the plurality of structural blankreinforcing holes.
 23. The article of manufacture of claim 22, whereinthe guide is overmolded into the structural blank hole.
 24. The articleof manufacture of claim 22, wherein the guide is affixed to thestructural blank by melt bonding.
 25. The article of manufacture ofclaim 22, wherein the structural blank thermoplastic matrix and theguide thermoplastic matrix comprise a thermoplastic selected from thegroup consisting of polyphenylene sulphide, polyetherimide,polyetheretherketone, polyetherketoneketone, polyethylene terephthalate,polybutylene terephthalate, and polyethylene naphthalate and the guidethermoplastic matrix comprises a thermoplastic selected from the groupconsisting of polyphenylene sulphide, polyetherimide,polyetheretherketone, polyetherketoneketone, polyethylene terephthalate,polyester, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate,polyethersulfone and combinations thereof.
 26. The article ofmanufacture of claim 25, wherein the structural blank thermoplasticmatrix and the guide thermoplastic matrix comprise the samethermoplastic.
 27. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein theoriented fiber plies of the structural blank and the randomly dispersedfibers of the guide comprise a type of fiber selected from the groupconsisting of carbon fiber, glass fiber, polyaramide fiber orcombinations thereof.
 28. The article of manufacture of claim 27,wherein at least one type of fiber of the oriented fibers of thestructural blank and at least one type of fiber of the randomlydispersed fibers of the guide are the same type of fibers.
 29. Thearticle of manufacture of claim 22, wherein the amount of fibers in thestructural blank thermoplastic matrix is between 5% and 60% by weight ofthe structural blank.
 30. The article of manufacture of claim 22,wherein the amount of fibers in the guide thermoplastic matrix isbetween 5% and 60% by weight of the guide.
 31. The article ofmanufacture of claim 22, wherein the structural blank is formed bycompression molding the plurality of oriented fiber plies comprised ofthe structural blank thermoplastic matrix and oriented fibers.
 32. Thearticle of manufacture of claim 22, wherein the at least one structuralblank hole is selected from the group of holes consisting of a circularhole or a non-circular hole.
 33. The article of manufacture of claim 22,wherein the at least one structural blank hole is countersunk into thestructural blank horizontal plane in the structural blank top side, thestructural blank bottom side, or both the structural blank top side andthe structural blank bottom side.
 34. The article of manufacture ofclaim 22, wherein the plurality of randomly dispersed fibers of theguide are molded to a guide shape having a guide shape top side whereinthe guide shape top side corresponds to one side of a guide horizontalplane corresponding to the guide length and the guide width, and a guideshape bottom side wherein the guide shape bottom side corresponds toside opposite the guide shape top side of the guide horizontal planecorresponding to the guide length and the guide width.
 35. The articleof manufacture of claim 34, wherein the guide passes from the structuralblank top side through the structural blank hole to at least thestructural blank bottom side.
 36. The article of manufacture of claim34, wherein the guide has a guide hole passing from the guide shape topside through the guide shape to the guide shape bottom side in the sameplane as the at least one structural blank hole.
 37. The article ofmanufacture of claim 22, wherein the plurality of structural blankreinforcing holes are located along the perimeter of the structuralblank.
 38. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein the pluralityof random fibers of the guide are molded to a first guide shape affixedto the structural blank top side and a second guide shape affixed to thestructural blank bottom side.
 39. The article of manufacture of claim38, wherein the first guide shape and the second guide shape are thesame shape.
 40. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein thearticle is void of an adhesive layer between the guide and thestructural blank.
 41. The article of manufacture of claim 22, whereinthe structural blank is corona treated or flame treated before overmolding.